OPP warns residents about increase in door-to-door scams

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning residents about door-to-door scams after seeing an increase in complaints from homeowners.

Police say they have seen a spike in the number of calls from residents across the province who have been solicited by people coming to their homes to sell certain household appliances, contracts, and other services.

“Door‐to‐door scams continue to pose a threat to Ontario consumers and businesses,” said OPP in a news release. “The individuals may use high pressure tactics and can be aggressive.”

OPP says the fraudsters approach individuals in person at the door to their home and use compelling tactics to persuade the homeowner that a new appliance, contract or service is required.

Shortly after the purchase is made or an item is installed in the home, the victims are contacted by someone claiming to be from a law firm offering a solution to exit the previously signed contracts, remove possible liens and consolidate the incurred debts.

The victim is told they may be eligible to receive an award for a significant amount of money if they sign off on exiting the contract.

“As a condition of the award, the victims are contacted by a home renovation company and ultimately are persuaded to sign a contract, which they are led to believe is required to comply with energy efficiency obligations, related to the award,” said police in a news release. “The fraudsters then use the signed documents to obtain a mortgage or secondary mortgage on the victim’s home. The funds are then deposited into the victim’s bank account, leading the victims’ to believe they have received the award, which is actually funds from the home equity mortgage taken out on their home.”

Investigators say the victims are then told to pay the renovation company the proceeds of the award.

Police are reminding residents that door-to-door sales of certain household items were banned in 2018. The ban includes the sale of air cleaners, air conditioners, air purifiers, duct cleaning services, furnaces, water filters, water heaters, water purifiers, water softeners, water treatment devices as well as bundles of these goods and services.

Ontario previously banned energy retailers from signing up customers for an energy contract while at their homes to give consumers the ability to make choices about their energy supply at their own pace and with better information.

OPP has offered the following tips to help keep Ontarians safe from doo-to-doot scams.

• Ask for photo ID, get the name of the person and the name of the company or charity they represent;
• Be sure to get it in writing, ask for literature and don’t feel pressured to make a decision on the spot;
• Never share any personal information or copies of any bills or financial statements;
• Don’t let anyone enter your home unless you invited them and/or you have taken steps to verify who they are and know your rights under the Trespass to Property Act;
• Research before you sign anything, agree to anything or invest. Don’t sign anything and always read the fine print;
• An energy retailer cannot sign you up for an energy contract while they are at your home.
• For other contracts signed within the home, you have a cooling off period. For example, consumers in Ontario have the right to cancel a contract for any reason within a 10-day cooling off period. For water heater contracts, there is a 20-day cooling off period.